Martin Richling, a Dangerous Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

The following report was written in the beginning of 2020 in response to some people that I was familiar with who were embracing his false and blasphemous teachings. I shared it with a number of people including Martin Richling himself. He never did respond to me by pen but did take the time to slander, misrepresent and misquote what I wrote, on his pejorative radio station.

Martin Richling is a dangerous false teacher and wolf in sheep’s clothing loaded with massive amounts of false teachings and corrupt fruit, and should be avoided like the plaque.

Here are some of the reasons why:

1. Richling rejects the new birth and embraces a false gospel.

He claims being born again only applied to the Jews and not Gentiles. That is blatantly heretical. Nothing even remotely reflects that. Jn. 1:11-13 completely contradicts it, where in v. 11 we read that “[Jesus] came unto his own [the Jewish people—see Matt. 1:21], and his own received him not.” Who did Jesus turn to? To whosoever would receive Him, which was predominately the Gentiles: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (v. 12). And what happens when they believe and become the sons of God? They are born again: “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (v. 13). The new birth is available to all and it is salvation, which has never changed in any age. James writing years after Christ’s ascension back to heaven, said “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (Jam. 1:18). That word “begat” means the exact same thing as being born again. Being born again is to be saved.

He also claims that repentance of sin is not needed for salvation and to believe that is allegedly a false gospel. No, quite the opposite. There is no salvation without true repentance and there is no repentance without turning from your sin, your self, your stuff and your people. The only means whereby sinners can enter the kingdom of God is to be born again (Jn. 3:3-8) and the new birth requires both true repentance and faith (Matt. 21:28-32; Mk. 1:15; Ac. 20:21; Jn. 3:15-21). Repentance involves turning from all known sins/idols and from general sin (Is. 55:6-7; I Th. 1:9; Ac. 26:20) from specific sins (Ezk. 18:20-23, 28-32; Ac. 3:19, 26). Repentance involves turning from our stuff which are idols which is sin (Mk. 10:21; 8:36-37; Lk. 9:25; 18:22; Ac. 14:15; I Th. 1:9) and from the world (Phil. 3:8-11; I Jn. 2:15-17; Matt. 6:24; Jam. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15–17). This is another mark of Richlings false gospel. *See below for further info on repentance.

He also accuses everybody of preaching a false gospel who doesn’t preach Rom 3:24-26 exclusively as the gospel for this age. And most strangely, he claims that 1 Cor 15:1-4 is not about salvation because the Corinthians were saved already. Wow, that’s a new one. 1 Cor 15:1-4 is certainly the gospel, though there is more to the gospel that isn’t mentioned in 1 Cor 15:1-4. Just because the Corinthians might have been saved already, doesn’t mean Paul wasn’t presenting the gospel here. He was doing so, for a purpose, the context being false teachers denying the resurrection of Christ and of saved people. And the fact remains, some of the Corinthians were not saved (e.g. 1 Cor 3:1-4; 5:1-13; 6:1-10; 2 Cor 11:3-4, 12-15; 12:12-13:5).

False teachers like Richling are unable to understand the truth and rightly divide the word of truth. He has ears but they don’t hear, eyes but they don’t see and a heart that doesn’t understand. And wilfully so. He is a very confused wolf in sheep’s clothing and false teacher who rejects the new birth and true salvation/gospel.

2. Richling believes Jesus was a created being, which is blasphemy.

He believes and teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ was created, and He was created in Gen 1:3, where God said “Let there be Light.” This is blasphemous and “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4). In a private video that was only supposed to be for private viewing by what he calls “the true church of the living god”, which in reality is his online CULT, Richling’s heretical doctrine is exposed publicly, where he defends his heretical teaching that Jesus Christ was created. Somewhere between the 3:20–3:40 minute mark, Richling states “The BIBLE SAYS HE WAS CREATED!!” and proceeds to paraphrase Rev. 3:14, one of the Jehovahs Witness’ favourite verses to twist.

“There’s no argument, it’s immutable, it’s not up for thinking, discussion, or interpretation!” he insists. (See here: http://www.turnfromyouridols.com/Blog/Entries/2014/11/10_EXPOSED%21_MARTIN_RICHLING_FALSE_DOCTRINE_VIDEO_LEAKED.html)

Here are some more direct quotes from the blasphemous video:

“Among the several doctrines that the unlearned, unstable fools take in, one of them is the doctrine regarding the deity of Jesus Christ. . . . The Jehovah’s WItnesses deny his deity, they’re wrong there, . . . but they say he was created-- that’s TRUE!”

He teaches Christ was the first created being by God the Father which is blasphemy.

Richling believes that if you teach that Jesus Christ is from everlasting, you are a liar:

“Christianity in their traditions say ‘Jesus Christ never had a beginning, he’s always been there’ - THAT’S A LIE! THAT’S A LIE!!”

What about the prophecy of Christ’s birth in Micah 5:2, Martin? It tells that the coming Messiah’s goings forth “have been from of old, FROM EVERLASTING!”

Richling states:

“I’m established in the faith, . . . because I obeyed God’s establishment commandment.” (ibid).

He also states that he has asked “lost heathens” about Rev. 3:14, and that they agree with him about it’s meaning. Ya think? Thats some mighty discernment.

The Bible on the other hand tells us something entirely different than what the wolf in sheep’s clothing does. God declares that the Lord Jesus Christ is The Creator. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (Jn. 1:3). “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Col. 1:16-17). The Holy Bible is very clear that the Lord Jesus Christ is GOD, and He was NOT created! “I and my Father are one.” (Jn 10:30). God is eternal. Jesus Christ cannot both be God, and have a beginning like Richling claims. The Bible teaches that God has NO beginning. Jesus is One with the Father, who had no beginning (Ps. 90:2; 103:17; Pr. 8; Rev. 1:8). God Himself calls His Son "God" (Heb 1:8), "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."

Martin Richling embraces a false Christ, and by his aggressive and vindictive teaching practices and heresies, reveals himself to be a minister of Satan indeed (2 Cor. 11:12-15).

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:13-14).

3. Richling believes salvation can be lost.

Of course this heresy is central to cults and all false religious groups, and a possible indicator of someones unregenerate estate. Why? It is a false gospel, “another gospel” (2 Cor 11:4) and a perverted gospel (Gal 1:8-9), which means Richling is “accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). Those that embrace this heretical error reject the record of God of eternal life that can never be lost which is in fact inseparable from the true gospel and would make God a liar and revealing themselves to be absent of the indwelling Spirit of God (read 1 Jn. 5:9-13; Jn. 5:38-42). There is only one type of salvation in the Bible, plainly identified in over 500 passages, and that is the one that secures the saint for all eternity, where he is once genuinely saved he is always perfectly saved!

See here for further reading on eternal security and why salvation can never be lost: https://www.2020scripturalvision.com/eternal-security-of-salvation

4. Richling believes salvation is a process, and everyday you must endeavour to remain saved.

This is also a common teaching along false religious groups, and this, like point 5, is “another gospel” (2 Cor. 11:4), “Which is not another; but” a “pervert[ed] . . . gospel of Christ.” (Gal 1:6-7) which then means he is “accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). True salvation happens in one instantaneous moment of time (2 Cor. 6:2; Jn. 3:3-8) and once one is saved he is always saved. He doesn't need to try to attempt to remain saved. I have heard this many times among the Mennonites, and its caused by an unsaved nature. Lost people are not saved, so they attempt to seek that salvation every day through their own effects and philosophies but not through the Word of God. It can't be found in the Word of God. Every true blood-bought grace-saved saint will work for the Lord Jesus Christ as a servant of Christ after his conversion, living and walking in obedience to all of Gods Word (read Jn. 14:15-24; 1 Jn. 2:3-5; Eph. 2:8-10; Eccl. 12:13). The Lord never stops working in those He indwells, to do His will and good pleasure (Phil. 1:6; 2:12-13; I Th. 2:13; 5:23-24; 2 Th. 2:12-17; 3:2-3; 2 Tim. 1:12; 4:18; 1 Pet. 1:5; Heb. 13:20-21). The born again believer is “complete in [Christ]” (Col. 2:10-15) and in need of nothing, for He “hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,” (2 Pet. 1:3). To endeavour to remain saved is a works gospel, which is a corrupted and perverted “gospel” and its befitting of one that does not know Jesus Christ or have true salvation.

5. Richling believes and teaches heresy about the King James Bible.

He exalts the KJV above the texts from whence they were translated, and in fact completely rejects the underlying inspired and persevered Hebrew Masoretic text and Greek Textus Receptus. Thankfully the KJV translators themselves did not hold to such a cultish and unBiblical position.

6. Richling is dishonest, crafty and deceitful in his handling of the Scriptures (2 Cor. 4:2).

He twists, manipulates, corrupts, wrests, misuses and abuses Gods Word consistently in his preaching and teaching, which is heretical and an “error of the wicked” (2 Pet. 3:16-17). He always privately interprets the scripture, in contradiction to scripture (2 Pet 1:21) and another mark of a false teacher (2 Pet 1:16-2:3). For instance, he claims 1 Cor 15:1-4 doesn't teach the gospel or salvation, since the Corinthians were allegedly already saved. Yikes. Almost every passage in every chapter of every book in the bible is perverted by this man, taken out of their contextual, grammatical, and historical meaning.

God the Spirit is the Author and Teacher of Holy writ, and He teaches and leads the truth to only (and to all) those He indwells (1 Jn. 2:20-21, 27; Jn. 17:17; Rom. 8:14). God cannot deny Himself. Those who teach error, willfully and consistently without true repentance of ceasing and forsaking, are without the Holy Spirit and thus lost. Satan promised that if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil, and Richling has taken the bait. A little god, one that puts himself above the Word of God and onto the throne of God, coming across as a “minister of righteousness” but in fact is a “deceitful worker” a “false apostle” (2 Cor 12:13) and a minister of Satan, who comes as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:12-15).

“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers…” (Phil 3:1).

7. Richling believes that the resurrection is not important enough to believe in, in order to be saved.

That also is “another gospel,” a perverted and corrupted gospel (2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6-9). There is no salvation without the resurrection, which started with Christ.

8. Richling believes he is sinlessly perfect and only he is established in the faith.

He misunderstands sin in the Christian life and obviously salvation itself, which is further evidence of a lost estate. Cult leaders always have this mentality.

9. Richling believes and teaches that it’s okay to divorce and remarry.

Of course, the life and experience of the wolf is not conformed to Scripture but changes Scripture. He himself is divorced and remarried multiple times, and considering his ravening wolf-character that isn’t surprising. Of course, the practice and belief will always dovetail. He has also abandoned multiple children, which is plainly wicked. Richling is an adulterer and we know no adulterer will ever enter the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).

10. Richling is a fraud, serial fornicator and a severely corrupt ex-cop, which actually put him behind bars for almost 6 years, all of which happened AFTER his alleged conversion.

As a police officer, he fornicated with over 50 woman to get them out of tickets and with other policemen’s wives (Steve Bruni Letter — disclaimer: the author behind this is clearly lost himself for a lot of reasons, including the fact he believes Richling is a true Christian in spite of his evil and wicked life and massive amounts of false doctrine). Martin Richling was Melrose Park, Illinois, Police Officer for 5.5 years. He was convicted by a Federal Jury of racketeering, extortion, and conspiracy to violate the civil rights of the extortion victims (Judge Gives Former Cop 57 Month Prison Sentence). These are fruits of the wicked, and further reflective of his lost and ungodly estate.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” (Matt 7:15-17).

11. Richling is a man-centred cult leader (or attempting to be).

In the private video publicly exposed, Richling states that he does not want the people in the world to understand this special truth, just his cult-like “church.”

“You know, I don’t want the people in the world to get it, I want the church to get it.”

Richling teaches that Jesus Christ manifests Himself in the flesh of Martin which then means complete without-questioning loyalty and obedience to him and to follow him blindly since Christ is in Martin and therefore he is without error, and you do as he says, or else you are not obeying Christ. That also fits his sinless perfection. These things are the very definition of a cult leader. It’s not “The Scriptures Alone” with wolves like Richling, regardless of the lip service they give to it, but rather “The Richling Word Alone.” Cultish false teachers always embrace and propagate a false gospel (Gal. 1:6-9; 2:4-5; 2 Cor. 11:4, 12-15). They lie consistently, which Richling is a grand champion at. They have great zeal to spread their false teaching and get a following, for they are on a constant power trip (hence also the previous job as a police officer) and cult leaders like him get real nervous when someone gets suspicious of them, hence their controlling by the fear-mongering, manipulation, lying, threats and shaming, etc, that they perform (read here: Warning on the Cult Leader Martin Richling).

12. Richling’s wisdom is not from above but from the devil.

His condescending and ungodly and wrathful attitude is seen in his tone of voice and choice of words in correspondence with people who have separated from him and in his radio circus act, and the fact he spends his days doing nothing more than hunting for heretics. So he calls himself the heretic hunter. Everyone that is not on his side is a heretic. He is a very angry and rude and crude man, a railer and accuser, yet he teaches that he is the example of charity. Wow, how blind can someone get. An ex-student of Richling stated that every week he would renounce somebody on his youtube channel, specifically targeting King James Only pastors and teachers, and he would renounce them as fools, and heretics, ministers of Satan, when he fact was only indicting himself. He would even ask of his students to find some more teachers for him to renounce. All of this, along with his use of crude and vulgar words reveals he has the wisdom of Jam. 3:14-15, which is the wisdom of the lost and false pretender:

“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is pretty evident that Martin Richling is a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15-20) who should be rejected, exposed and avoided. God’s Word makes that succinct:

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Rom. 16:17-18).

Martin Richling is not the arbiter of orthodoxy but does "resist the truth" because he is a man of "corrupt mind, reprobate concerning the faith. But [he] shall proceed no further: for [his] folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs [Jannes and Jambres] also was." (2 Tim 3:8-9)

Not only a wolf but also a blasphemer, heretic and an ungodly man who turns the grace of God unto lasciviousness, and denies the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ (the denial happens not in so much in denying the Name but in denying the doctrine and practices of Scripture, by embracing and teaching error) (Ju 1:4).

The Lord Jesus warns to beware of these evil wolves in sheep's clothing:

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits…” (Matt. 7:15-16).

*Repentance involves turning with contrition and compunction from going your way to God’s way with the intention and motivation to serve and obey Him in holiness and righteousness (Ex. 8:1; Is. 55:7; Mk. 10:21; Lk. 15:17-21; 18:22; Rom. 2:1-4; I Th. 1:9). Repentance involves turning from all self-righteousness (Lk. 5:31-32; 18:9-14; Rev. 3:17). Repentance involves turning from ones peoples, from loved ones, which are idols before God (Matt. 10:34-37; Lk. 14:26). Repentance involves receiving Jesus as Lord (Mk. 10:21; Lk. 9:57-62; 23:40-43; 18:22; 19:12-27; Ac. 9:3-6; 10:36; Rom. 10:9-13). Repentance involves losing your life for Christ and the gospels sake (Matt. 10:39; Lk. 9:24; 14:26; Mk. 8:35; Jn. 12:25). Repentance involves denying self and dying to self (Mk. 8:34; Jn. 12:24). Repentance involves taking up the cross (Matt. 10:38; Mk. 8:34; 10:21; Lk. 9:23; 14:27). Repentance involves turning from false religion (2 Cor. 6:14-18; Heb. 6:1; Pr. 9:6; Jn. 4:23-24). Repentance involves all three faculties of man: intellectual (Pr. 1:29; 2:1-5; Jer. 8:6; Rom. 3:11; Heb. 6:1), and emotional (Ez. 9:6; Ps. 34:18; Ezk. 6:9; 9:4 Jon. 3:8; II Cor. 7:10) and volitional (Is. 55:7; Ezk. 18:30; 1 Th. 1:9; Ac. 3:19; 14:15; Matt. 13:44-46). Repentance involves a desire to make things right, right with God (Lk. 19:5-10; 2 Cor. 7:10-11). Repentance involves counting the cost (Lk. 14:28-32; 10:21; Matt. 13:44, 45-46) and forsaking all (Lk. 9:57-62; 14:26-33). It is God, motivated by His own goodness, Who allots and enables repentance, as he grants (gifts) sinners repentance under conviction (Jn. 16:7-11) not only with repentance (Rom. 2:4; Ac. 5:31; 11:18) but also faith (Rom. 4:5 [cf. Gen. 15:1-6]; 11:6; Phil. 1:29; 2 Pet. 1:1— since true repentance results in saving faith, the gift of repentance is also the gift of faith) so none of these are works — it is repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as granted by God. The Bible says it and then it has nothing that contradicts it. Love rejoiceth in the truth. But this is just one part of the equation. In repentance you must turn to God (1 Th. 1:9-10; Ac. 14:15; 20:21) for in repentance alone there is no merit. You do not earn God’s favour or become inherently righteous when you repent. It is the blood of Jesus Christ, not your repentance, that is the ground of forgiveness; repentant faith is simply the means through which you receive salvation. If you say, “I am [spiritually] rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing,” and “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17), you will never be with those who “have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). Only those wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked sinners who come to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in humbleness and contrition with nothing but repentance of their sin and self, receive mercy. To these, salvation is freely given—for He came not for the “righteous,” the Lord Jesus will save the worst sinner, yea the ungodly, who repents (Lk. 5:31-32; Rom. 5:6). But he must repent, and it must be true to God’s Word. That is the essence of saving faith.